February is (was) the month of instrument bags. And in March the same work continues at full speed.
I do not intend to give a tutorial. Just a few pictures and explanations.
The patterns for the bags being sewn today: bases, covers, some with a wider and some with a narrower seam allowance, some pieces with no seam allowance at all.
Covers for small harps. PVC material, rubberised fabric, decorated with ornaments and reflective tape.
Foam waiting for the harp bags. Some pieces get a lining of thin foam, others of thick. In the picture on the right there is an unknown quantity of ready sewn corded binding. For that I first cut a pile of PVC fabric strips, sewed them together with diagonal seams into one long tape and then sewed the relevant plastic "cord" into it. Today's bags need about 16 m of that "tape". I hope there is enough.
Two large kannel bag covers waiting for their foam and lining to be attached. On the cover turned inside out you can see that besides the PVC fabric and the outer fabric with the ornament, a reinforcing material has been attached under the cover as well, so that the cover is as stiff as possible.
In fact 1 such large kannel bag was ordered, but since this time I am using slightly different materials and methods, I am making a trial bag as well. I try each stage on the other bag first, just in case, and if everything fits I carry on sewing the "real" bag. If it all works out to the end, I will put the "trial bag" up for sale too.
Here all 5 layers of material are already attached to one another on the bags, and in the second picture sewn down with the binding.
Next the same work with all 6 harp bag covers, then with the backs of all the bags, then the bases of the bags, then the sides. Always attaching layers, sewing, attaching, sewing and so on. Cutting out all those pieces alone gave the feeling that a hundred bags were in the making. In fact only 8 are under way.
If I now do a little arithmetic, for 8 bags I cut out and sew together 192 pieces.
On top of that all the smaller details: reflective tape, zips (about 12 m), handles, various pieces and fastenings made of webbing (26 of them), shoulder straps, a small inside pocket for every bag, clips, rivets and so on. The ornaments on the covers consist in total of more than 100 tiny pieces.
Once all these pieces are ready, the last and for me the hardest part of the work follows: sewing the covers, sides and bases together. For me it is quite mad finger twisting. Because although the machine is good and hums away happily, 10 to 12 layers of material, even when properly secured beforehand, have to be sewn together to millimetre accuracy. Every piece pulls stubbornly in its own direction and the binding tape at the end of it will not cooperate at all.
But I am tougher all the same and I will get them sewn.
Have you ever tried to sew a wall onto a floor and bind the edge at the same time? With this seam I certainly feel that is exactly what I am attempting. 🙂
And round again, so that the other edge of the binding tape is secured. The same procedure with the cover.
And it is finished.
It is always such a good feeling when a big thing like this is done.
More pictures on the portfolio page, Instrument bags.
Pictures of the instruments these bags are being made for. On the left a large kannel (the client's photo) and on the right small harps. The picture of the harps comes from the page Harmooniatuba.
